Kareem Walker Decommits from OSU: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

The defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes saw their grasp on the No. 1 spot disappear when they were named No. 3 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, but that was far from the only loss they took Tuesday. 

Kareem Walker, who is the nation’s No. 1-ranked running back in the class of 2016 on 247Sports’ composite rankings, decided to decommit from the Buckeyes. He shared the news on his Twitter account:

This decision comes shortly after Walker appeared on the Lemming Report on CBS Sports Network Friday and said he is “solidly committed to Ohio State,” per the show’s host, Tom Lemming.

As if the decommitment wasn’t enough for Buckeyes fans, Walker already visited Michigan and could very well end up in Jim Harbaugh’s class. That would mean the Scarlet and Gray lost out on a dynamic playmaker who could consistently rack up 1,000-yard campaigns at the next level to their hated rivals a year after Harbaugh took the job.

Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports provided some consolation for Buckeyes fans when he noted Urban Meyer and company landed 4-star running back Antonio Williams in October after Walker began to look elsewhere in his recruitment process. What’s more, Wiltfong added Ohio State has a verbal pledge from the nation’s No. 2-ranked running back, Demario McCall.

There are backup plans in place in Columbus, but this is just the latest blow for the Buckeyes in a difficult week that saw starting quarterback J.T. Barrett get suspended one game for an OVI citation and incoming recruit Nick Bosa (Joey Bosa’s brother) tear his ACL, per Eleven Warriors. It was even announced basketball player Mickey Mitchell has not yet been cleared to play in games by the NCAA, per Eleven Warriors.

At least the football team is still undefeated.